Method of separating blanks from sheet material



4 Sheets-Sheet 1 l @l N f A INVENTOR /Y m BY ATTORNEYS A. J. EVERS Aug. 8, 1939.

METHOD oF SEPARATING BLANKs FROM SHEET HATERIAL Filed Nov. 18, 1957 ug- 8, 1939 A. J. EvERs 2,168,400

METHOD OF SEPARATING- BLANKS FROM SHEET IATERIAL P 'iled Nov. 18, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 x I l I I I I I I I INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Aug. 8, 1939. A 1 EVERS 2,168,400

' METHOD 0F SEPARATING BLANKS FROM SHEET MATERIAL Filed Nov. 18, 1957 4 ShetsSheet 3 IVENTOR ATTO R N EYS Aug. s, 1939.

A. .1. Evt-:Rs

METHOD OF SEPARATING BLANKS FROM SHEET MATERIAL Filed NOV. 18, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR BY ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 8, 1939 APATENT OFFICE-- METHOD OF'SEPARATING BLANKS FROM SHEET MATERIAL Arthur J. Evers, Westerly, fR. I., assigner to C. B. Cottrell & Sons Company, Westerly, R I., a corporation of Delaware f Application November 18, 1937, Serial N o. 175,287

4 Claims.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, eflicient, and inexpensive method whereby blanks of predetermined contours may be separated by pressure from sheet material.

l The object of my invention, more specifically, is to provide a novel method for separating by pressure, in a single operation, garment blanks from a sheet of fabric whereby the blanks for a complete garment or suit may be separated from the sheet of garment fabric at a single operation.

My invention includes the use of removable skeleton frames, shaped to predetermined contours, said shaped frames having dull operating surfaces and being associated with the sheet material, pressure being exerted on said associated sheet material and frames between relatively movable elements for causing the separationof the blanks from their sheet material by said shaped frames.

An apparatus for carrying out my method is represented in the accompanying drawings,.in which Fig. 1 represents the apparatus in side elevation with the movable parts in the positions they assume when the reciprocating bed is about to start on its forward movement through the pressure rolls, the lifting bracket for handling the upper pressure plate being shown in its raised position;

Fig. 2 represents a top plan view of the apparatus; l

Fig. 3 represents a longitudinal vertical section taken in the plane of the line III--III of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 represents an end view of the apparatus, the lifting bracket being shown in full lines in its raised position, and in dotted lines in its lowered position;

Fig. 5 represents an enlarged detail section showing the upper and lower pressure plates with the interposed sheet material and shaped wire before pressure has been applied thereto;

Fig. 6 represents a similar section after the pressure has been applied to cause the shaped wire to separate the blank from the sheet material;

v suitable base 9.

predetermined contour, the ends of the wire being preferably permanently united, as by welding. The shaped wire has a dull sheet material engaging surface 4 and the wire may be yof any desired cross sectional form. For instance, in 5 Figs. 5 and 6, I have shown' a wire as elongated. in cross section with convex top and bottom edges. In Fig. 7, I have shown a wire round in crosssection, and in Fig. 8, I have shown a wire having a flat upper surface and a. convex lower 10 or sheet material engaging surface.

Two elements, in the present instance, upper and lower pressure plates 5 and 6 have plane surfaces which are arranged to receive between them the shaped Wire 3 and the sheet material 2. 15

Suitable means may be provided for exerting pressure on the upper and lower plates 5 and 6 sufficient to cause the shaped wire to separate the blank I from its sheet material 2."The means herein shown comprises an apparatus which is 20 constructed, arranged, and operated as follows:

'I'he sides I and 8 of the frame uprise from a The upper and lower pressure rolls I0 and II are rotatably mounted in sliding and xed bearings respectively, in the side frames 25 'I and 8. The upper pressure roll I0 may be positively driven from a reversing motor I2 mounted on the base 9 of the frame, through a train of gears I3, I4, I5, I6, I1, I8. The lower pressure rollI I may be positively driven from the shaft 30 of the gear I5 through gears I9, 20.

I'he reciprocating bed is denoted by 2| and it may be positively driven from the shaft of the lower pressure roll II at the opposite side of the frame through gears 22, 22 on the shaft of the 35 pressureA roll II and racks 23, 23 carried by the bed 2|. This bed may be supported on the usual banks of rollers 24, 25 located at the front and rear of the pressure rolls II) and II. Hold-down rollers 26, 26 may be provided for the reciprocatm ing bed.

The upper pressure roll I0 may be adjusted toward and away from the lower pressure roll II, as, for instance, by a hand wheel 21 carried by a cross shaft 28 which has beveled gear connec- 45 tions 29, 30 with vertical shafts 3l, 3| provided with screw threaded portions engaging the sliding bearings 32, 32 of the upper pressure roll I0.

The means which I have shown for raising and lowering the removable upper pressure plate 5 is 50 as follows:

A longitudinally disposed rock shaft 33 is mounted in a frame 34 carried by the reciprocating bed A2I, which rock shaft is'located outside the side frame 8 and beyond the gearing so that 55 it will not 'interfere with the same in the reciprocation of the bed.

A pair of uprising arms 35, 35 of a swinging bracket is xed to this rock shaft 33, each of which arms carries a pair of manually operated hooks 36, 31, yieldingly connected by a divided r'od 3l. An operating handle 39 is carried by the hook 33 'for bringing the hook into and out of engagement with the side edges of the removable upper pressure plate when the bracket is swung down across the bed.

A counterweightl 40 may be provided on the rock shaft 33 for counterbalancing the weight of the upper pressure plate 5 when it is engaged and held by the plate lifting bracket.

In operation: Let it be assumed that a plurality of separate wires have been bent to predeterminedA contours. fabric, if blanks for clothing are to be produced, is placed on the lower pressure plate 6 which may, if so desired, form a part of the reciprocating bed. The shaped wires are then placed in the desired arrangement upon the sheet of material. 'I'he upper pressure plate 5 which has been carried by the swinging bracket is then lowered onto the shaped wires and sheet material. The hooks 36 and 31 of the swinging bracket are then operated to release the bracket from the upper pressure plate. 'I'he bracket is then swung to its raised position. The bed may then be advanced to pass the pressure plates and interposed sheet material and shaped wires, through the pressure rolls III and Il, thereby causing the shaped wires to separate the blanks from the sheet material by pressure and at a single operation.

When the bed reaches the end of its forward movement the swinging bracket may be lowered and its hooks caused to engage the side edges of the upper pressure plate. The said plate is then removed by swinging the bracket to its raised position. The shaped wires, the blanks and the blanked-out sheet material may then be removed from the lower plate. The bed with the lower plate and the raised bracket with the upper plate may then be returned to their original positions, ready for vthe next operation.

From the above description it will be seen that I have provided a simple, inexpensive and eilicient method for blanking out sheet material and that I am enabled by said method to separate by pressure, in a single operation, the blanks necessary to produce a garment or suit from a sheet of clothing fabric.

The sheet of material,v

It will also be seen that by using shaped wires with dull sheet material engaging surfaces no sharpening of the surfaces is required as in the case where hardened dies with sharp cutting edges are provided for cutting the blanks from the sheet material.

What I claim is:

1. 'I'he method which comprises associating two elements with interposed sheet material and a frame shaped to a predetermined contour, advancing the two elements with the interposed sheet material and frame through a pressure means suiiicient to cause the frame to separate a blank from the sheet material, removing one of the elements, the frame, the blank and the blanked-out material, and returning the other element through the pressure means and the removed element around the pressure means.

2. The method which comprises associating two elements with interposed sheet material and frames shaped to predetermined contours, advancing the two elements with the interposed sheet material and frames through a pressure means sumcient to cause the frames to separate blanks from the sheet material, removing one of the elements, the frames, the blanks and the blanked-out material, and returning the other element through the pressure means and the removed element around the pressure means.

3. The means which comprises associating two elements with interposed sheet material and a wire bent to a predetermined contour, advancing the two elements with the interposed sheet material and wire through a pressure means sufhcient to cause the wire to separate a blank from the sheet material, removing one of the elements, the wire, the blank and the blankedout material, and returning the other element through the pressure means and the removed element around the pressure means.

4. The method which comprises associating two elements with interposed sheet material and a plurality of wires bent to predetermined contours, advancing the two elements with the interposed sheet material and wires through a pressure means sufhcient tol cause the wires to separate blanks from the sheet material, removing one of the elements, the wires, the blanks and the blanked-out material, and returning the other element through the pressure means and the removed element around the pressure means.

ARTHUR J. EVERS. 

